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In India, traditionally, a law degree was offered after pursuing a three-year degree course in the subject after graduation (BA, BCom, etc.) till exclusive law universities like the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR) were established and came out with five years of integrated courses in law.
Now, 27 National Law Universities in our country offer such courses. Considering the trend and popularity, various other universities and institutions now offer integrated courses in law. Admission to all such courses is available after completing 10+2.
Law is the only subject in which a five-year integrated course has become the norm rather than an exception. This trend hasn’t been replicated equally in other streams. A few such programmes are available, but awareness about these is low.
MBA is a preferred choice for many students in our country, and IIMs are considered the best bet for this management qualification. Getting into IIMs requires qualifying for the highly competitive Common Admission Test (CAT). Not many know that a few IIMs have a five-year Integrated Programme in Management, which can be joined after 10+2. IIM Indore was the first to introduce this, and IIMs at Rohtak, Ranchi, Bodh Gaya, and Jammu followed suit.
Of course, there is also an entrance test to admit students, but compared with CAT, it is easier to crack. A few other institutes have also launched integrated courses in management, and the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade is one of them.
Economics is a humanities and science subject, but integrated courses are available. Bengaluru-based B R Ambedkar School of Economics University, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, Madras School of Economics, Pondicherry University, Central University of Rajasthan, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Kurukshetra University, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak have a five-year MA/MSc Economics programme. IIT, Roorkee, offers a five-year BS-MS course in Economics. St Teresa’s College, Kottayam, affiliated with Mahatma Gandhi University in the same city, offers an Integrated MA Programme in Social Economics.
University of Hyderabad has a long list of integrated programmes comprising MTech in Computer Science, MSc in Mathematical Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Physics, Systems Biology, Optometry and Vision Sciences, Earth Sciences, Health Psychology and Applied Geology. Integrated MA is offered in Language Sciences, English, Hindi, Telugu, Urdu, Philosophy, Sanskrit and Comparative Literature. Anthropology, History, Political Science and Economics. National Institute of Science Education & Research (NISER) in Odisha, under the Department of Atomic Energy, also has an integrated MSc programme.
Those focused on research and willing to do a PhD can also explore integrated courses combining Master's and PhD at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. This allows first-class graduates to enrol in courses available in various branches of biological, chemical, mathematical, and physical sciences. Indian Institute of Science Education & Research (IISER) is a relatively new institution established by the Government of India. Its centres are Pune, Thiruvananthapuram, Bhopal, Tirupati, Mohali, Berhampur and Kolkata.
An integrated PhD may be pursued in some of these institutes. The same is the case with IITs. The above is an indicative listing. When you search, you may come across various other integrated courses.
Advantages
Joining an integrated course is advantageous in different ways. In many cases, it saves you one full academic year. Studying the same topic again is avoided. For example, many of the issues in a BBA and MBA are common, though a deeper study may be required for an MBA. The course structure of the integrated MBA and other programmes is designed so that there are fewer repetitions. You will complete only one application process, which saves you time, money, energy and anxiety. The continuity here in familiar surroundings may leave you with chances to do more and better.
Several integrated courses issue dual degrees, such as M.Sc. and PhD. There may also be an exit option for those who want to withdraw after completing the first segment of the course, though it may come at a small cost. Most integrated courses are conducted at government institutes, where students pay considerably lower fees.
Conversely, one may encounter changed preferences when completing the course. A student registered for an integrated PhD course may feel it’s better to do a job than spend three years on a PhD. One who decides to join BS-MS in a science subject may also be inclined to join a management course. Students can think and analyse deeply before committing to an integrated course.
Those keen to study at different places to get varied experiences will do well to choose different institutes for different courses, like an MA or MSc from one institute and a PhD from another. However, students should realise that after their academic stint, they will likely have multiple work experiences, moving from one place to another.